This Friday the first phase of Encuentro 2018 ended in Costa Rica and Guatemala with a celebration service in both countries. In Guatemala the focus of the service was evangelistic, and General Superintendent Dr. Gustavo Crocker shared the World of the Lord. General Superintendent emeritus Rev. Jerry Porter shared the Word in Costa Rica. Both services had an impressive attendance. In Guatemala, 600 people attended including 250 foreign volunteers. In Costa Rica 380 people attended the service.
During the week, the participants and volunteers have blessed the lives of hundreds of people and the churches in 27 communities. They served through medical clinics, Vacation Bible Schools, construction projects and more.
In Guatemala, it is important to mention how God used Nazagol, a sports evangelism project. A total of 356 children and youth confessed Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Encuentro has also been a great help to the Nazarene Youth International Project Timothy. The objective of Project Timothy is to prepare youth for missions over a period of 2 weeks. Participating youth from Mexico, Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador have served under the mentorship of other missionaries during this time.
In Costa Rica, Central District Superintendent Rev. Sirlene Bustos said that God is working in an unexpected way in the lives of the volunteers. They have had reconciliations with the Lord and confirmations of a call of the Lord to ministry. Even bus drivers have found salvation during the event. She also said that she feels grateful that the Lord has even made the weather favorable. She has seen unity in the church and how God has renewed the strength of the pastors. “I can sum up this week saying that God is in control, “Rev. Bustos said.
In the Costa Rica North District, the Lord has used Encuentro to mark the lives of children and school teachers as well as a children’s center where the groups have served. They have also impacted the lives of people in a needy community where the teams have taken food baskets to families and prayed with them.
We continue to pray for the Lord’s blessing for the second phase of Encuentro 2018 in the Mesoamerica Region.
Sources: Rev. Sirlene Bustos, Fanuel Flores, Rev. Milton Gay
